Stagnant organizations are generally marked by lousy boards and clueless, or worse, arrogant CEOs.

Without the leadership of an engaged, aware and willing-to-learn CEO you might as well forget about growth.

Why? Because there’s likely to be no serious investment funds made available … no radical organizational change, led from the top, to break down silos … no willingness to clean house and replace the barnacles of complacency with a new, can-do, must grow mindset.

Last year The Agitator asked its readers to rate their CEOs. Responses came from fairly seasoned fundraisers — almost half (47%) were veterans with more than ten years experience; 71% over five years. They worked mostly for a range of mid-sized to large organizations: 27% with organizations raising $1-5 million in private contributions; 30% raising more than $5 million.

The results reveal why most organizations are unlikely to grow.

 Only 22% of respondents said Yes, they would “nominate your CEO for The Agitator’s BEST CEO Award” (50% said No, and 29% ticked “Are you guys nuts”).

More seriously we asked: “Rate your CEO’s understanding of and commitment to effective fundraising. He or she is …”

• A superstar — 16%
• Gets the basics, but not a leader in this area — 38%
• Pretty hands-off — 23%
• More of a hindrance than a help — 23%

Almost half (49%) would replace their CEO if they had the chance!

Asked which statement best described fundraising planning ‘at the top’ in their organizations, fundraisers who responded to our survey said …

• Program goals are discussed with fundraising an integral part of the discussion — 26%
• The CEO’s extent of strategic involvement is: “Tell us how much you can raise” — 17%
• More than half the CEOs simply say: “Here’s what we need … go raise it” — 58%

Asked about support from the top, 37% said fundraising support from their CEO and Board was “Lacking” … 20% said, “They’re clueless”.

And what about appreciation from the top? 40% said their CEO treats them “like an occasional visiting relative” … 24% “like the gardener”.

Whoa!

Unless fundraisers who read The Agitator are different from most others [ Ed. Note: They’re of course clearly more intelligent and committed.] this is not a healthy situation. Especially when it comes to growth.

Of course the problem is anything but one-sided. I wonder how many respondents to the survey actually sat down with their CEO and explained what it would take to grow income … how many really took an investment plan to their CEO or board (see The Investment Paradox- Barriers to Growth, Part 2) …or held a candid conversation with the CEO about how the organization’s culture stifles fundraising.

How many actually invited the CEO to accompany them to a fundraising conference to better understand what’s going on in the sector and the problems/successes of other organizations?  (See Proud to Be A Fundraiser.)

As I look back over my years at helping launch and grow advocacy organizations, I can’t recall a single example of a CEO who was NOT intimately involved in both understanding and leading the fundraising charge. John Gardner at Common Cause. Ellie Smeal at the National Organization for Women. Morris Dees at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Millard Fuller at Habitat for Humanity, and on and on.

Of course these organizations are now 40+ years old or even older, and the fire of a start-up CEO has been replaced by the cooler mindset of professional managers representative of today’s CEOs.

However, whether young or old, most organizations want or at least pay lip service to growth. It’s just that so often their CEOs don’t walk their own talk.

Instead, too many treat their fundraisers “like the gardener” or a “distant relative”, putting in little or no serious involvement, engagement or investment.

So the next time your CEO says, “Here’s what we need…go raise it”, remind her/him that you’re a fundraiser, not a magician.

What steps are you taking to educate and involve your CEO in serious discussions about growth … or are you simply dusting off your resume?

Roger